Focusoct191556stat by Greenwood Library

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速rf. 1915

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http://www.archive.org/details/focusoct191556stat

Editor-in-Chief

Helen Gray Virginia Watkins

Assistant Editor-in-Chief Literary Editor

Ruth Robinson

Assistant Literary Editor

Frances Stover

Business Manager

Jonnie Hiner Katie

Edmunds

Frances

1st Assistant

Moomaw

Business Manager

2nd Assistant Business Manager Exchange Editor

Eunice Logwood Lillian Obenchain

Assistant Exchange Editor

News Editor

Nancy Lewis Assistant

Edith Miles

Thelma Blanton

Gertrude Welker ('15)

News

Editor

Alumnae Editor

('13)

Assistant

Alumnae Editor

alahk

tit OlntttetttB

LITERARY DEPARTMENT: Autum

Emma

(Poem)

Gunpowder Plot

Summer

Indian

Elizabeth

Destiny (Poem)

The Unheeded Warning My Lady {Poem) Good Night (Poem) One of the Old Tales Age {Poem)

.291 .

292

Malcolm .... 295

Anonymous Nancy Ritsch, '15

M.Louise Bondurant.

Fashion in Dres

.303

304

M. W., '15 ... Ava Marshall. G. M. W.;i5.

Courtin'

Juliet Mayo .... 296 Gordon Seamon .... 298 Ruth Hankins .... 298 Elizabeth Rowe. .299 Ruth Hankins .... 303

Penny Saved Dreaming {Poem)

Her World The Tyranny

White.

Frances Stover

.306 .307

.310

.312

SKETCHES: Little

Helene Nichols. Madeline Warburton

Teacher

Faith

.316

.317

.319

Hankins.

.320

BOOK REVIEWS: "So Much Good

in the

Worst

Us".

.Madeline Warburton

Ruth

"The Ruling Passion"

EDITORIALS:

323

M.M.W

325

Loyalty

Regarding Our

New Study Hour Regulations

EXCHANGES HERE AND THERE HIT OR MIS:

328

330

Psychology

How Times Do

.331

DIRECTORY OF STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS ADVERTIZEMENTS

B. D. Smith

& Bros.,

Ptdaski,

Printers

Virginia

Mayo

Gordon Seamon.

Juliet

Change

334 336

The Focus Vol.

farmville,

Va.,

October, 1915

no. 6

Autum Emma

White

the autum,

In the autum,

While the leavs ar

softly falling;

In the evening,

In the evening.

Memories ar gently Leavs ar

calling.

falling,

Softly, gently.

Day

is drawing to Daylight fades,

its close;

Darkness falls. Fades to darkness sunset's

rose.

Summer's dying, ebbing.

Life

And

o'er the earth

dim shadows

Sweet and sad. Sweet and sad. Falls a hush upon the

soul.

roll.

THE FOCUS

292

O^uttp0i»b^r pint Frances Stover

'wo BOYS

wer lingering on a certain street corapparently waiting for something, yet one of them seemd a little more anxius than the other from his frequent glances in a certain ner,

Soon, a little negro boy came running up to more anxius looking-one, and handed him a small, white note. The little "nig" was dismist clasping a dime tightly in his black fist, and the boy proceeded to tear direction.

the

open the note. of

eagerly red

—or rather the beginning

it—with a smiling countenance.

exactly pleasd with the rest of

changed into a frown as he

it,

Evidently he was not

for his smile relaxd

and

finisht.

"Just my luck!" he exclaimd, crushing the note between his fingers. "What do you reckon the fair damsel has done?" "Let me see it!" said Henry, his companion. "Oh! No!" said the other, as he pocketed the crumpld ball. "I can tel you easily enuf. Stung me! that's all!" "Oh, well, *Les,' plenty more fish in the sea," venturd Henry.

"They can stay there too!" answerd Leslie The two boys strolld on down the street met "Old Skid" coming up the street. "Hey, Skid! Come, go our way?" "Can't, thanks, but say, want the latest?

grufly.

together,

'Little

and

Buck'

going to take Polly to the recital tonight. I suppose," he added, "to giv her the benefit of hearing him interpret

Hope it won't affect her Wei! so long!" and "Skid" continued his

'Tales of Hoffman' on the piano. like it

does me.

way,

drew out a cigaret, savagely struck a match, and "Oh, yes!" he drawld between puffs, "I catch the drift, now! So that's Polly's other engagement! Our Little Sister Buck got ahed of me, did he? I wish him many Leslie

lit it.

happy

returns!"

THE FOCUS Only a as Henry them was works for

29S

week remaind before Christmas holidays, and and Leslie past a store window there before a big display of many and varius kinds of fireChristmas.

of those cannon crackers in one hand exclaimd Leslie. the other!" and 'Buck' in

"I wish

had one

"Seems to me you'r sort of peevd yet," said Henry. Suddenly Leslie grabd Henry by the arm and jerkt him into the store. The next thing Henry herd was Lester's "Giv me the biggest cannon cracker you hav right quick!" "Sayl" In a moment they wer on the street again. what idea of me an at least giv panted Henry, "can't you you'r up to?" "I mean, with your Leslie laft. "It's simpl," he said. permission and assistance of course, to manage tonight to blend Buck's 'Tale of Hoffman' with a tale of a fire-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

cracker."

"Yes, but, in giving orders, 'one should be more my professor always says to me."

definit,'

"Oh! I don't wish any harm to 'Buck,' you kno. I merely want to splinter the piano stool!" "I see!" ejaculated Henry, "we just want to fix up a harmless little gunpowder plot so that it wil go off nicely, eh?" "Ar you with me?" "Correct!" said Leslie. "Done!" said Henry, and they solemly shook hands on it. That night the college auditorium was crowded with scool girls and boys, and many town peple. The program had begun when Henry and Leslie walkt in the door, shufld down the aile, found a seat and somewhat noisily Henry quickly began studying the program, sat down. and ran his finger down the numbers til it rested on "Buck's" name. He nudgd Leslie, whispering "Fourth from the end." Leslie nodded and glanct carelessly over the audience. He stopt, leand toward Henry, notifying him softly in his ear that one of the professors was sitting three seats behind with a young lady. "Aw! he won't notis. He's too much absorbd," said Henry. They sat thro half a dozen numbers of music and rounds of applause, til there wer only five numbers left.

— THE FOCUS

294

"Come

on, 'Les,'

They got up

hike it, now," said Henry. and proceeded down the aile. Henry,

let's

quietly

in his eagerness to

make

a hasty exit, didn't notis

He stumbld

professor's foot in the aile.

over

it,

and

the al-

but Leslie caught him, and in two more seconds they wer on the outside of the door, Henry ejaculating, "I hope I masht it good while I was about it!"

most

fel,

The figures.

professor lookt

He had

time to see the departing

learnd from long and hard experience

that Henry and Leslie together speld mischief. Perhaps he had a vague idea that he had better do some investigating. Anyway he waited until the close of that number, whisperd something to the yung lady beside him and hastily left the room. The suspicius professor descended the stairs to the hall belo, stopt in the main hall and listend. He herd nothing. He hurried down the next hall, which was only dimly lighted and stopt outside one of the clas-room doors listening. There wer footsteps within. The door was ajar and the professor silently pusht

open.

Just as he did so a voice

came from the other end of the room, "The darnd old thing's gon out! Here hand me ." "Beg pardon, gentlemen," said a familiar voice that every boy in scool knew and dreded alike, "but 'II hav to interrupt you for a few minutes." Adding, "If you want a match I think you'l find plenty over at the offis!" Out into the hall went the three twb crestfallen, sheepish looking boys and a triumfant professor. The pro-

—

boys didn't smile. Just then a loud applause burst forth from the auditorium as the "fourth from the end" number came to a close. fessor smild; the

;

THE FOCUS

295

Snhxm Summer Elizabeth C. F.

HEN

Malcolm

the goldenrod is tarnisht leavs so bright ar found,

And

When Lie

the gentian's fringed petals all

When

scatterd on the ground

the squirrels chatter loudly,

And

by one. and yello. And the harvesting's most done,

When

Then

the nuts drop one

the

moon

large

the ling'ring wraith of

Paler groing day

summer,

by day,

In the midst of early morning, With the star-light fades away.

But her smile is stil

reflected

In the mildness of the sky;

And the zephyrs, idly straying, Echo

stil

her faint good-bye.

THE FOCUS

296

Juliette

ÂŠ

ILL IE

wil be

Mayo

so proud of me," breathd Olive

contentedly, as she sipt the ice cream soda with which she was refreshing herself before starting

the

long

car

ride to

her sub-

urban home.

"As long as chocolate sodas ar I

believ

I'l

get one more.

It's

only extravagance,

so hot on that dusty ride

"Besides," to Roland Park," she further soliloquized. she excused herself as she opend her purse, "I'v found so many bargains today."

Alas for Olive, her satisfaction was short-livd, for as she opend her purse four lone pennies met her startld gaze, and after a desperate serch only those same four pennies could she find. "Maybe I'd better add up my purchases,

and see how much

I'v lost," she decided after a

moment

spent in vain imaginings. So, suiting action to the word, she hastily set down a list of her purchases on the back of an old envelop which she found in her pocket. She had left home that morning with five crisp five dollar bills

and her husband after, riding with her as far had laffingly warnd, as he transferd her to

as his office,

down going car: "Be sure and save enuf

the

for your carfare home, and don't your hart and hed over every bargain you see markt down from two dollars to one-ninety-eight." Now, as she frantically added, Crepe de chine and shoes, eau de cologne and gloves, try as she might her purchases amounted to the appalling sum of twenty-four dollars and ninety-six cents. "How wil I ever get home?" she thought in despair, as she gatherd up the few small packages that she had preAfter a hopeless glance around to see if ferd to carry. there chanct to be any acquaintance near to whom she might appeal for help, she made what she considerd, under the circumstances, a very dignified exit.

lose

THE FOCUS

291

"One thing is certain," she thought, "lean never walk Why didn't I think before? It must be miles. ri go to a drug store and fone Billy to meet me!" she home.

decided exultantly.

"What

silly

goose I'v been!"

Hardly had this brilliant thought presented itself to Olive, and chased away the cloudy on her pretty face, when she was brought back to erth with the realization that access to a telephone booth would necessitate the pay-

ment

of five cents.

"Wei!" she sighd, and the tears were coming perilusly near the surface. "I guess I can sit in the rest room at High's Department Store, after all of my money that they have gotten today. Maybe I can think of some way out of

difficulty.

Things didn't seem quite so bad to Olive when she was comfortably seated in the dainty rest room. After a look at her watch, however, all her fears and uneasiness returnd

twofold.

"It wil soon be six o'clock

ri be turned out on

the

and the street

stores wil be closed.

penniless.

Maybe

I'l

vagrancy. I wonder if I'd better pawn my ring?" These were some of the thoughts that flitted thru Olive's troubld mind. When one is only twenty-

be arrested

two and

for

spoild, small difficulties

loom up

large

on one's

horizon.

Suddenly, Olive was roused from her deep reverie by something that struck her small boot with a metallic clink A furtive glance reveald a penny only an inch from the heel. With a quick movement she coverd the coin with her foot, and as she did so she herd a wel-dresst woman near her

remark carelessly to her companion "Oh! wel, it wasn't more than five or ten

cents.

The

woman who

sweeps wil be glad enuf to find it, tonight." Olive was one of the last of the belated shoppers to leav

the store that afternoon, and as she coolly paid her fare on entering the car a few moments later, only a slightly heightend color gave evidence of the severe mental strain from which she had been rescued.

—

THE FOCUS

298

Gordon Seamon

golden sunset gilds the sky,

The

roses ar in bloom;

But o'er my being steals a sigh That night has come so soon.

moon rises down from abov;

Quietly the great

And Thru

smiles

hart, with glad surprizes,

Steals the

The

of love.

gentle zephyrs stir the air,

And I

melody

solitude

is blis,

dream sweet dreams of my lady Ah! would 'twer e'er like this.

fair-

Ruth Hankins

E, seeing

how

these erthly ties ar rent

How all our hastening leads but to one goal How days and years and decades by us roll, And

leav us old and useless, loly bent,

Ask

ourselves

if life

does giv content

And recompense for labor here belo; Or shall we not til after death behold The real worth of this life, by His consent? Replying to this question,

surmize

That no one can make answer, as our fate Beyond this erthly sphere is now supprest; But one thing we can answer that is wise, That God is just, and he wil e'er relate But deeds of kindness, that man shal be blesst.

;

THE FOCUS

Elizabeth

"^TT^EL, BOB, I I

Rowe

suppose you ar

Friday, ar you?

Vft ^

299

stil

Taking the

bent on sailing Victory again"?

"Yes, sure I'm going, but see here joke ever. This morning

had

—the biggest

this letter

from

goodness knos who signd 'A German,' He says, 'For the sake of millions of lives don't sail for Liverpool Friday, thirty-first, as an American citizen. Grave danger is lurking

voyage of the Victory'" "Wei, what about it? I believ you are getting scared, Bob; bet you five you change your mind yet, old man." "Oh! no, I'm going without a dout even if I wer sure I'd be blown sky-high before I got there. This note is funny, isn't it? Think I'l keep it at any rate; the thing was postmarkt New Orleans too, by the way. For some reason I can't help from thinking of the Holt case and his alleged associates together with those mysterius hold fires which seem so hard to suppres and trace up. But there's nothing to it; I must get away from it and I wil." "That reminds me, hav you seen this?" His frend handed him a morning paper. "Here, on the third page in the

—there you

believ

ar,"

"Lordy, white folks, the German Embassador, too, reminds us Americans to stay where we ar while we can. Nothing to it can't be ^just some more of their tomfoolery; next thing they'l want the war zone to our threemile limit I suppose. Say, did Vou see that clever cartoon in the Outlook awhile back? The scene was out in the ocean. English submarines had Germany up a pole all right.

—

True, England couldn't get much further but old Germany was up there crying for something to eat in earnest. Uncle

Sam was over on

our coast seeing goods shipt to England Germany wer on the shore and he was calling to the Germans to come after them, but they could only yel, they couldn't get down."

a few boxes

for

THE FOCUS

300

"Ha! ha! about the truth, isn't it? Wei, so long. Hope you'l hav a good trip and get back O. K." "Oh, yes, I'l be back in about six weeks; just a little lawRegards to your sister," business taking me over.

*******

Bob Dunford walkt up

to the captain the seventh

day

out.

"Wei, Capt', we'r in ten miles of landing and havn't German apprehension yet, eh?" "No, and not likely to according to my way of thinking. There is no getting around it, we'v got them pretty well seen a

up." "Yes, out in the ocean we'l soon be able to do some peaceful yachting, but you ar not sure of this war zone yet, bottld

ar you?"

"War zone! What did that amount to? Just a shabby sham trying to assume big national dignity in the eyes of you Americans when they found themselves about to be blockaded a thing they themselves brought down on their own heds."

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

"How "Why

that?"

don't you kno England would never have blockad-

ed until she had to?

She was

forct into

it.

didn't

care to starve the civilian population, but the minute their

'most exalted' Kaiser declared imported alms sent charitably for the support of the starving seizable for the

German

soldiers

women and

we had

to block

children

down."

Bob had just left the captain and was on his way to the when an awful shock knockt him rather clumsily against the same girl he had admired so deeply and gazed saloon,

first days out. She pardond him most graciusly with a smile and he

at (almost unconsciusly) the

his confusion turnd to see the captain again.

some few men had shoutd "A torpedo!" but the same speed so all settld down again. Bob kept on; he had seen that hedlight in the distance

Urst

ship saild on at about the

The focus and watcht

its

movements

for

301

an hour, but the captain

could not be warnd in ten miles of the coast.

Another shock!

The

captain shouted "Full speed to

Hollyhead!"

down

the funnel.

Then another awful and

The boat

jar!

few feet. The captain shouted to port

tilted

starboard

settld a

side,

"Lower no boats

there!

All to starboard!"

The seamen misunderstood fild

with frantic

command. A few boats lowerd and about two got

the

women were

safely over the swiftly slanting side of the vessel; others

were capsizd or smash t. Bob Dunford saw the precius moments lost. At starboard he had already fild one boat which was rowing off, was filing another, and shouting commands. Across, in the next boat, he saw that the girl he had bluntly stumbld upon after the first shock, had fild a boat and helpt in launching it, but now with barely five minutes left she stood there refusing to go in it herself She was left. There was no time for persuasion as the boatmen wer rowing with utmost strength to avoid the suction.

A minute later a yung man three

life

preservers.

emergd from the saloon with

thrust one at her, another to

a steerage passenger, and the third he kept for himself. Just as they leapt off into the sea the boat gave one stood erect about two minutes and with a great plunge went down stern first. Both Bob Dunford and Eleanor Thornton went under, drawn down with the current. After what had seemd a lifetime to both, they came up. His first thought was to rescue her; her's to save others. She calld to him to swim with her and perhaps both together could reach a coUapsibl boat about five hundred yards away floating from them. They swam with rythmic strokes and soon found themselves seated together in the boat trying to save the few survivors who wer clinging to the wreckage here and there. final lurch,

THE FOCUS

302

Cautiusly they pickt up the half ded until an added ounce would hav taken them to the bottom it seemd, and then together they rowd in the direction of a res-

cue fishing schooner. As the last one had been lifted to safety Bob Dunford stood belo in the rocking ship and watcht what he knew to be his long sought ideal climb the shaky rope ladder to a hard

won

safety.

;

THE FOCUS

303

Ruth Hankins

HAL I compare thee to a ful blown rose, To gentl summer winds, or lily fair? Thy deep blu eyes, thy charms, thy golden hair Surpass the beauty of each flower that groes. Thy voice is softer than the breeze that bloes The nodding leavs. Oh, thee I shal compare To music melodies that seem to tear Your soul in twain, or strains that heven knoes. Oh, thou, who art so lovely and so loved,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Must beauty needs be proud, impassive, cold To keep tru place among her humbler kin Oh, can by any means thy soul be moved To smile upon, e'en pity, love untold, And pray, may I thy haughty hart e'er win?

Anonymous

DARLING, now the night is here And

sleepy time has

Then Then

And

come

close your eyes, close your eyes,

let

O O

sweetest one, love'd one,

the dream-ship come.

Let the dream-ship come from that beautiful land

'Way over For All All

the sleepy seas,

my love

â&#x20AC;˘

bound for you, woven and wrought and made for you, wafted there afar to you it

brings

all

In the form of a beautiful dream.

THE FOCUS

304

3l«Bt

(§m of Nancy

'ES,

tl|?

(§ih BtovxsB

Ritscli, '15

war times wer times,"

said

Aunt Mag, "and

they wer times when we had times." The old lady was fond of story telling and there wer great nieces and great nefews who of her stories too. Time and again we would hear the same old tale, and listen with the same sparkling eyes and wait on her words.

wer fond

"We livd right up the street here in the old brick house and Anne livd across the street from us. Mollie and Tillie and I always spent our evenings with Anne or Anne with us. For the most part, we could consider ourselvs safe from the Yankees but there wer often bands of them passing thru. So about the neighborhood there wer always Rebel spies, v^^hom, of course, we harbord, and who wer always in readiness to flee in tim.e of danger. "We owd a lot to our old county bridge, and so did our spies, for not to save them, could Yankee cavalry, or any other for that matter, ctoss the bridge without our hearing their

approach

all

over town.

glad of that on the occasion

And we

girls

going to

tel

wer mighty you of.

"Max Gale had been in and around town for several days trying to locate the Yankees, and altho he knew them to be near he riskt that night in town to go to see Anne. I suppose you might call Anne a martyr to 'the cause' for she hadn't the hart not to let a Rebel soldier, if a spy, come. But don't you ever think that Anne had the slightest idea of spending that whole evening with Mr. Max Gale, a Confederate spy. Not so. We girls had always found a way and you could just count on us for once more. We promist to help Anne out and we did. "Night came and Max came, but we had it all pland. I suppose Max was just beginning to con\"erse in his usual monotonus way when from our house acros the way came the sound of tramping and stamping. We did the job wel.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; THE FOCUS

305

wer hard and we three did not lack the power to Anne jumped up, caught Max by the arm, and screamed so loud that we could hear her over home, 'The Yankees ar coming acros the bridge!' "I can't blame Max for thinking it was quite a number

Our

floors

raise a racket.

I think we alm^ost overdid our part. out of the back door in les time than a jiffy but the clothes line was also out of the back door and Max met it right under the chin. "Poor Max! He did hav hard luck. As soon as he had

of the cavalry, for

"Max was

untangld himself, he was up the mountain side and off into the woods to hide himself. I don't kno how long he stayd but I kno that the next day Max took himself to another

town and Anne had not the favor of a farewel word. "But we had our evening together and Anne joined too, you may bet."

in,

—— THE FOCUS

3,06

A9? G.

N AGED

M. W.,

MAN—

'15.

lookt into his eyes,

Half-wond'ring what should I find hidden there; Would there be happiness and sweet content,

And

love of this good world

God made

so fair?

Or would I find a lingering regret That Life's brief jurney would so soon be

o'er.

Regret that joys untasted could not be E'er his falt'ring footsteps reacht the other shore? I lookt into his eyes and turned away There was a glory there I dared not see A glory telling me that God was near,

light that told

of Eternity.

I turned, and, musing, wonderd why. Glad in my youth, I oft had pitied age; For I had seen deep in those dimming-eyes

The

vision of re-birth

—our

heritage.

THE FOCUS

307

Ol0«rtttt*

f^,

True

r y)

Ava Marshall

^^^:^HE BOYS wer in high glee for they wer going to • ^ j see Her. They had been to see her last Sunday, ^^^^r

and she had sat on the front porch and talkt to them until late into the night. To be sure she was in her black silk petticoat, and did not go in to dres, but they soon forgot their embarrassment over this fact in the delight of sitting there and listening to her talk. She had to do most of the talking for they wer "just turnd out" and very bashful. Her mother, too, came out and talkt to them for a long time. They knew she drest just for them, because they herd her call one of the children to bring her something from another room. They had not notist

that

when they

dragd themselves away

finally

neither mother nor daughter had askt

They wer

them

"come again."

soaring far too high in the heights of blis to take

And so they wer going again thought of sitting on the vine-coverd porch, listening to the sound of her lo, sweet voice, and hearing now and then the silvery tinkl of her laughter. As I hav before remarkt, these two yuths wer "just turnd out," and this was their first courting experience. Not that they had not wanted to try it before, but it takes a lot of courage to enter upon so momentus an undernotis of such trivial things.

tonight,

happy

in the

taking; with them it had taken some time to get their courage "screwd up to the right pitch," yet no one would deny that they had courage plenty of it. But having at last "screwd up," they wer fully resolvd to make up for and they fondly imagind that they wer doing it. lost time

—

The

colts

wer as

ful of spirit as their

gaily along over the red, winding road.

at the crosroads now,

and

Bill

They wer almost

loosend his reins.

"Say, Luper, I'm goin' to see

Reckon she wil?"

masters, and friskt

she'l

remember the way.

THE FOCUS

308

"Dunno,"

replied Luper.

"Believe

try

I'l

too.

it,

they don't we c'n sho 'em mighty quick." To their delight both horses rememberd the road they

had taken the week before. "Say, Bill, what d'you feel you did this time las' Sunday?" "Whe-e-ee-ew!" did

las'

like then,

"Me

but

"Wei,

you had

sir-ree! I

didn't kno'

ain't skeered a bit

Wonder what

skeerd?

skeerd befo'.

whistld loud and long.

Bill

Sunday?

could

"Like

what 'twould be

now, ar you?" take

you wuz, tho." wan't, but seems

tel

"Like

like?" askt Luper.

ain't saying

do a mighty

lot o' whistlin'

fer?

after

wan't

r'member

we turnd down

this road."

"Huh!

Bill, ain't she purty?" I whistl any old time. "Purty? She's more'n that! She's jest be-yutiful, an' What we goin' to jes' as sweet as she's be-yutiful, too. talk about, Luper? You kno, we'l hafter say sumpn'." "Dunno. Let's see. I'l ax her is she got many little chickens. That's whut I herd Ma'y Jane's feller ax her?" "Fool! Don' y'kno' the chickens all b' longs ter the ol' lady? That mought do fer a question ter git her started, now. Say, I'l ax her if she ever clum ter the top o' that mountain over yonder, an' if she hain't, I'm goin' ter ax

her ter all

let

take her up thar some day.

'bout the view from

thar, an'

c'n tel her

how purty

it all is.

That'l keep us talkin' fer a long time, an' while we'r goin'

you

c'n talk to the ole lady."

"See myself!

would that

See her on the mountain,

little

del'kit

too!

Whut

thing do clim'in' a mountain?

Why she

couldn't do it. It's you I take fer the fool." "Wal, then, what you go'nter talk about. She mought not wanter do it all ag'in." "Shut up. Yonder's one o' the little gals out in the yard, an' she

mought hear you."

"There goes the sees us an'

comin'

down

ole lady 'round the house.

goin' ter dres.

here fer?

the

Bet she

little gal's

Say, Luper, s'pose she's seen us,

an' sent her little sister ter

"I betcher she did.

Wonder whut

open the gate."

Say,

Bill, I b'liev I

gotter holler."

THE FOCUS "Shut up,

The

she'l

309

hear you."

was

and apparently very unwillingly advancing toward the gate, with her hed tuckt down and her finger in her mouth. The boys reacht the gate first, and Luper rolld off his horse to open it before she could reach it. Just as his hand raisd the latch she stutterd, little sister

sloly

"Sister s-said ter t-t-tel y'all as

how ma wuz

s-she couldn't a-ax y'all in today,"

and before

s-sick, an'

either of

them

could recover his breth she was flying to the house as fast as her spindling

little legs

would carry

her.

away without a word. When they came to the crosroads the humor of the situation suddenly struck Bill, and he laft. "Say, Luper," he askt, "how you feel? Like you did comin' 'long here las' Sunday night?" They

gallopt

Luper struck his horse fiercely with the whip and jerkt outthruclencht teeth, "Dog gon you! I feel like s-sayin' the ugliest cuss-word I c-c'n think of 's what I feel like."

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

THE FOCUS

310

Tjf^r

Wnrlb

M. W.,

'15

at last! Ah, it had seemd that it never would come. Her hed had throbd with thoughts, but she could not allow them to come uppermost in her mind she could not let them interfere. But now that recess had come she could think. The children troopt noisily out to the playground and Miss Wills let her hed drop until it rested on her arms folded on her desk. She must make her decision, her final decision. With enthusiasm kindling anew she reviewd the events of the past night. She heard again the gifted evangelist giving to them the words of the gospel, "Go ye He had told them how great a forth into all the world." need there was for missionaries, what a field there was to work in, for there wer miUions of souls waiting to be saved. He told of how restless harts had receivd peace, of missionaries whose empty lives had been fild by the consciusness of being able to do some good in the world, some service to humanity, had made their lives count for something. What had she done, what could she do, here in this great city scool, that would amount to anything? She was swallowd up in the System, the mechanical process and working of it all. She taut what she was supposed to teach as outlined in the Course of Study for the year. She gave them the first precepts of the knowledge in books, but she could not giv them of that greater knowledge which with her very soul she longd to giv them; it was not included in the Course of Study. She was merely a tool of an Educational System. Sometimes she felt that she could bear it no longer, but thru it all came the beating consciusness that she must keep on. She was part of the mechanism, and she dared not stop. "Go ye forth into all the world." The evangelist had said that those who wer really ment for the great work would feel the call. She seemd to feel it, but yet something held her back, a little intangible something she could

,ECESS

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

THE FOCUS

311

Was the call ment for her? She but as she thought it seemd that all the greater things wer in this work. There would be results that she could not see with her own eyes; she would be encouraged to giv more and more of herself. Her life wbuld really count for something there, and she would make She saw again the picture the others' lives count too. painted evangelist had the heathen nations rising from the dust, their chains broken, lifting freed hands to a new heven, a new God. The soft breeze wafted the lafter of happy children thru the open windo and lifted the curly tendrils around Miss Wills's hed. Why had it been so hard to decide? She would go Suddenly there It seemd easy now. was a cry from the playground. Miss Wills jumpt to her feet and ran to the door. She was not thinking of heathen not define or explain.

could not

tell,

—

nations

The

now

;

she was thinking of her

own little First Graders.

cry was a cry of pain, and altho the cause was only a

small scratch, Miss Wills took the child in her arms and

soothed her.

Then

the

little

arms

stole

up around her

neck and the sobs ceased.

When

was over Miss Wills went back into the little First Graders. There was a smile on her lips and a new gladness in her hart. The children crowded around her eagerly, and as she went to her desk one reacht up to her with a witherd rose in his small, dirty hand. Miss Wills took the rose and pind it at her throat, and the smile in the eyes of the child anserd that in her own. "Go ye forth into all the world" and Miss Wills' hart sang joyfully because she had found her recess

scool-room with her

—

world.

THE TO CVS

312

{^\\t

Sflranng of Jafiljtntt M. Louise Bondurant

ir^a

this age of progress and freedom one can scarcely conceiv of such a thing as tyranny existing. Tho there ar no tyrants in a political sense,

there

exists

one

even more

powerful

—more

powerful because it has more peple in its bondage than ever human tyrant had, more powerful because its slavery is the slavery of Dame Fashion. She is the self imposd

—

tyrant to

whom

thousands ar bowing today, and from

whom they seem powerless to free themselves. When I was a smal child, I remember seeing which represented the state

of Fashion's slaves.

a picture

was a

picture of the powerful tyrant, Fashion, seatd on a splendid

drawn by men and women harnessd in the bonds of Some had fallen in the way from exhaustion, and others wer almost broken down from pulling their heavy

chariot

slavery.

loads.

—

Today the world is fild with women slaves women who seem never to tire of the discussion of dres, the change of styles, who make themselves mentally and physically weary

in their efforts to

keep their sleevs as large or as

small as they ought to be, their skirts as ful or as scant as fashion dictates, and who judge their fello women from the richness or scantiness of their dres.

One

of the causes of these everchanging styles

lies

the fact that manufacturers, designers, and retailers ar

combind

in the effort to

correctly.

They must

see to

make

us fear

ar not dresing

get control of fashion,

itself,

and

that peple ar not permitted to continue to use

garments until they wear out. Before a garment can wear out an entirely new model must be presented that wil make the old one appear ridiculus by comparison. But sometimes this scheme of changing styles works the designer and retailer harm.

way"

the cry of those

"Swing the fashion my trimmings, and often

who make

THE FOCUS

313

means success or bankruptcy to the manufacturers whether or not buttons ar used. If change of fashion leaves one trade without employment, then lack of trade surely is death to the mils. For instance: In 1911-12 fashions wer changed slightly. The textile mils lost thousands of dollars, and soon began a it

campain

to alter conditions.

They

signers.

"Draw

they said.

ful

skirts,"

offerd bribes to de-

When

was

taking only six or seven yards to make a dres, the obvious way to get rid of their overstock was to require twelve or fourteen yards to

make

a dres, and above

all

things to

require styles which old dreses could not be remodeld to imitate.

The

effect of

factories

so great

changing fashions on the laborers

in these

They ar compeld to work long hours, an demand; they ar overworkt and underpaid the il

one.

cope with disease. changing fashions to those who would One Year after year peple folio them is the waste of money. put money they begrudge, and which they had rather spend in another way, into that particular skirt, or coat, or hat which wil make them look as ridiculus as their neighbor, at the same time saving them from her criticism. There is also waste of time and thought in trying to There ar many hours in a day, but if folio fashion. twenty-five per cent of a woman's time is spent in rushing after the latest fashion, there is little time left to devote to the more important things of life. How unimportant the question of clothes seems, compared with the big things those things which make for happiness and peace in life until they ar unable to

result of

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

and progress. While we ar disciissing the subject of fashion let us mention some cruel and absurd fashions of the past and present. Even going back to the early Romans we find styles that wer unsuitable, for long floing garments wer much in the way of walking. During the Elizabethan period in England, fashion was strictly folloed. The men wore high-heeld slippers and drest in gorgeus velvets. The women, folloing Elizabeth's exampl.wore basques and One would stif rufs, which wer means of great discomfort.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; THE FOCUS

314

scarcely expect a weakness for dres with the stong wil

and

which Elizabeth possest; yet, it is wore a dres twice. Think what an

brilliant intellect

said that she never

this was for Elizabethan England! Our grandmothers wore hoopskirts, which surely must hav been troublsome and unmanageabl. Within the last few years, skirts on the other extreme hav been worn hobbl skirts and slit skirts. If we hav ever seen a woman in a hurry drest in these styles, we can kno how ridiculus she appears. With a tight skirt, it is almost impossibl

exampl

move

quickly, and even peple's lives ar endangerd in

Another extreme fashion which comes within

way.

this

memory

is that of the "Merry Wido" hat. All of us hav had the experience of trying to see over a hat a yard, more or les, in circumference. One of the most queer and cruel customs that has ever been practist is that in China of binding the feet. These peple's idea that, by deforming the human foot by wearing, for months and even years, tight straps, they wer making it beautiful, was surely a queer one. With the bones of the feet bent under, every step must cause

our

excruciating pain.

glad to say that under the in-

fluence of Christian missionaries, this form of

fashion

slavery to

fast disappearing.

But the Chinese could not hav had a more

peculiar

idea of footwear than did the English in the fifteenth century. foot.

The long taper shoe did not folio the form of the The longer the toe could be made, the more aris-

tocratic the footappeard, so the wearer stuff t the surplus

with hay. The foot appeard very slender but with danger to everybody's life. In the nineteenth century French-heeled slippers length

became popular.

made one

look

Low

taller,

people wore them because they and they did make the foot appear

These shoes wer exceedingly uncomfortabl thru throing one out of balance and pitching one forward. If we ar not to folio such fashions, let us not go to the considerably smaller.

other extreme and say that dres

important,

its

place.

is not important. It is Dres should be appropriate

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

;

THE FOCUS we

work we

315

For instance: It is wear high heels, or a stenographer to wear lace frills; and for a cook or house worker, silk and satin ar unsuitabl. Why do we admire the blue gingham dres, the large white apron and the It is not solely because of spotless cap of the trained nurse? sentiment, nor on account of the costliness of her dres, but the suitability to the use for which it was made. Our dres should combine comfort with beauty. We should be able to move freely and comfortably and gracefully; we should be able to do our work in it, to be at our to the lives

liv,

the

inappropriate for a shop

best in

it.

girl

do.

we should not think of London and Paris, but should our own needs and desires. Some one

In designing our dreses

the fashions of Vienna and

plan

them to suit "To shelter our bodies,

has said, to

make

to express our personalities,

bright the lives of those

for these ends, let us

make

who must

look upon us

clothes."

A change of attitude toward fashion cannot come thru some one's presenting a dres reform. This change, like all others, must come thru education, and not so much education in scool, but in the home, by the mother. Some one has said that the mother is the only great reformer of any age or time, because she has impressionable youth in her hands. She has charge of the instruction; not only can she dres her children sensibly, but she can train them to understand why she does it, and to appreciate her wisdom. The mother, in these days, can be reacht by lecture, sermon, story and drama, and can gain much from each. Improvement in dres cannot come thru organization alone it is the individual who counts in every movement. Not until individuals understand the meaning of dres and wil decide for themselves what they want and refuse to wear anything

else, wil this

slavery to fashion cease to exist.

— THE FOCUS

316

»•»•*•%'>•% «i»

%»V»%^^* »»»»%»

4»

»»»» V^*^^^^^ » ^^I'^^^-V******

"LITTLE TEACHER"

"Me and Sue hav

always been good frends.

guess

it's

step-mama and I hav one too." "But why does that make Sue your frend?" askt the

just because Sue's got a

tall,

wel-drest lady bending

little girl

who

sat

down

to catch the reply of the

on the sidewalk.

and Sue wer and Sue's mama gave her the lots of ribbon and lace on them. prettiest one you 'most ever saw, but my mama said that one of my old ones would do. I cried, and then she told me that a long, long time from now nobody would kno whether mine was new or not. "Me and Sue got Dorothy and Polly them's our dolls and went out under the big tree to see if we couldn't find out what the trouble was with my mama. Sue said that step-mamas don't understand like real, sure enuf mamas. "But I told her that her step-mama had given her a pretty dres. Then we just didn't kno what the trouble was. Sue's mama has a little girl and a little boy besides Sue, while my mama had only me, so it did seem as if I could hav a new dres. "The next day I went to stay with my grandma for a week. When I came home Mammy you kno she cooks for us and showd me a little baby better lets me help her if I'm good that my doll Dorothy, and even nicer than Sue's little brother. I was so glad when Mammy told me that this was my very own sister 'cause I could play with both her and Dorothy. "Wei, it was nearly time for Children's Day when one night mama calld me to her and told me that I could hav "Wei, you see

in Children's

Day

was

just like this.

we wantd new

dreses with lots

—

— —

THE FOCUS

317

a new dres with all the lace and ribbon I wanted. She kist me and then she kist Baby Sister. "The next day me and Sue and Dorothy and Polly went out under the big tree to talk it over. I told Sue just what had happend and how mama kist both me and Baby Sister. Sue said that now there wer two of us, and when there ar

more than one mamas get sort of used to giving things. That she guest it was the reason her mama had given her a dres right away 'cause she had a sister and a brother. I told Mrs. Watkins about it and she hugd me as she said to Mrs. Peck, 'It's wonderful how 'Baby Sister' has widend Mrs. Johnson's horizon.' Mrs. Johnson is my step-mama, you kno. "Step-mamas ar a whole heap of troubl but now mine is almost as good as a real mama. Sue's got a step-mama and I'v got one so we stick together to take care of them."

The

woman was

tall

at the seven-year-old

Next she stoopt and Little

silent for

who was

moment

kist her as she

mother.

murmurd," Good-bye,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Helene

Teacher."

as she lookt

taking care of

Nichols.

FAITH The

child sat alone behind the haystack, watching the

Every day there was something different in the there was a great lion; now a dbg chasing a Sometimes, an Indian chief with his feathery rabbit. hed-dres; sometimes a great fish, that would change into a bird and then disappear. And once there was a big clouds.

sky.

Now

cedar tree, so like the one at the foot of the lane that the child left this favord spot to see if the big cedar stil stood in its place.

When

cedar was

there, the cedar of the clouds

he returned, satisfied that the real was gone; and the child wonderd if the real cedar had been taken up in the clouds and then put back at the foot of the lane when he went to look for it. Who could tell? God could do greater things than that. For didn't he bring a lot of little stars from the sky and scatter them over the meados one night making the golden dandelions? stil

THE FOCUS

318

Didn't he take the ded flowers and into lovely green plants?

little

them

dry seed and make said so; and

Mother

mother knew.

Today the child was sad. God had taken mother away. The child did not kno where she had gone; but he thought he knew. He wanderd off lonely to his favord spot. In the west wer his frendly clouds; but today there was no Indian, no dog, no lion, no fish, no cedar tree only a black mas; the child felt lonelier. Gradually the black mas took shape as a series of huge hils. A pale narro golden rim began to form about it. The rim gru wider and

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

brighter

The "It

and

longer.

child's eyes

beamd with

the light of hopefulness.

the golden street," he thought.

and brighter;

it is

'there presently,

getting nearer.

and

"It

Mother

shal see her.

And

groing bigger

wil

walk along

then

God

wil

put her back in her room as he put the cedar back by the gate." The child thought he knew, but who could tel? The "golden streets" gru dim again. They faded away. And as the "golden streets" faded, so did the light of hope in the child's eyes gro dim. Tears began to creep in. But no the child was braver than that, and he trusted his clouds. The light came back to his eyes as he thought, "but she wil come tomorro." Madeline Warburton.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

THE FOCUS

319

»%»%»»»»*» •

Innk

Sm^ms

*»%»»

"THERE'S SO

MUCH GOOD

WORST OF

THE

US"

In Bret Harte's short stories we come in close contact with the outcasts of society, the lawless and the simplminded. We not only see them, but ar drawn to kno

them. We no longer condem the gambler Western miners' camp as utterly hartless and cruel after reading "Luck of Roaring Camp." We no longer scorn and ignore weak and fallen manhood and womanhood after knoing "Mother Shipton" in "The Outcasts of Poker Flat," or "Sandy" and Tommy's mother in "The Idyl of Red Gulch." We ar brought to realize that there is some good in the lowest and seemingly most wicked human beings. One of the most interesting, but most pathetic of all of

and

to love

of the wild

his stories of the outcast is

kno and love neglected,

In this

"M'liss."

—not mildly, but intensely,

ragged,

dirty,

impulsiv,

we meet,

—

a wild, high-temperd, but fiercely

who was expeld from Sunday scool because she fought the boys in clas, a child who declard that she hated all the scool girls, and whom all the girls hated, but who went to scool because she "wanted to truthful child of Nature; a child

be teeched;" figure"

whom

Bret Harte describes as a "bent little down a narro moon-lighted path,

that staggerd

moment on the curve of the hill, "a mere atom of suffering outlined against the far-off,

turnd, and stood for a patient stars."

This "atom of suffering" was taken into the protecting care of the kind scool-master and "teeched" at her quest,

This

and the teaching was not little

own

black-haird, black-eyd, hedstrong waif

blunt and plainspoken.

What

re-

in vain.

she thought she said

was

—

THE FOCUS

320

—

and her thoughts wer not idle and She was fearless and kind at hart. The His murderer was shut up in a di"parson" was kild.

she got in a close place worthless.

lapidated

jail,

threatend by the blood-thirsty

M'liss forcd her

way

mob

outside.

and dasht by the guards "Are you the chap that kild

into the

into the prisoner's room.

jail,

the parson?" she askt.

curst

and swore at

her.

she continud, "If you was the

Nothing daunted, however, that killed McSnarley,

man

Why she I've brought you something; it's brandy." brought brandy, and whether she set fire to the jail purposely or by accident is left for the reader's own imagination as ar many other things of equal importance in this and nearly all of Bret Harte's stories. A.t any rate, she helpt the man, condemd by the whole town, to escape.

—

When serd,

the scool-master askt her

"They were going

"Well, didn't he

kill

why

she did

it,

she an-

to kill him."

McSnarley?"

"Yes," anserd the child, "but McSnarley ought to hav been killed long ago." And the reader is almost forct to agree with her. This story takes us thru only a short part of M'liss's life. We see her rescued from degradation, and, by the love and

sympathy a nobler

we we

of the "master," brought to right thinking

life.

see her

come

and

into her just inheritance;

But kno more of her; we want to folio her thru her entire life; and we close the book with a feeling of sadness that we must be separated from a frend so soon, and with the wish in our harts that Bret Harte had written "one more chapter, anyway." see her at last in the protecting care of a mother.

are not satisfid;

we want

— Madeline Warburton.

THE RULING PASSION In every life there is a ruling passion. Sometimes it is romantic love. That interests almost everybody so it is the usual theme of the

But we hav other passions just power of personal passion in music, nature, honor, strife, revenge, money, pride, frendas real in

life.

riter.

find the

THE FOCUS ship,

duty, and other things.

321

Life unconsciusly folloes

these passions, just as a stream will folio

its

course.

matter what circumstances cros the ruling passion, thru

reveald the soul of the person.

"The Ruling Passion" Henry Van Dyke telsusof some in simpl, clear, and concrete manner The caracters ar chosen among plain people because their In

of these passions,

can be exprest with greater simplicity and truth. "The Ruling Passion" the author sets forth some passion that predominates the life of the caracter portrayd. In "The Gentle Life" we cannot help but feel its spirit of peace and gentleness when we read: "There is more of God in the peaceful beauty of this little wood-violet than in all the angry disputations of the sects. We are nearer heaven when we listen to the birds than when we quarrel with our fellowmen. I am sure that men can not enter into the spirit of Christ, his evangel, save those who willingly follow his invitation when he feelings

In each one of the eight parts of

'Come ye yourselves apart into a lonely place, and rest For since his blessed kingdom was first established in the green fields by the lakeside, with humble fishersays,

a while.'

men

for its subjects, the easiest way into it hath ever been through the wicket-gate of a lowly and grateful fellowship with Nature. He that feels not the beauty and blessedness and peace of the woods and meadows that God hath bedecked with flowers for him even while he is yet a sinner, how shall he enjoy the unfading bloom of the celestial country if he ever becomes a saint?"

Music" we especially notis how the paswhole life of Jacques. He sion of music and it is his joys to fiddl only confides all of and sorros his his love for music that comforts him in his darkest moments. All of the passions of his nature ar pourd forth by the When Jacques is wooing Serene and he faithful old fiddl. plays to her hour after hour we feel the very spirit of love In

"A Lover

influenst the

in the guise of sound.

again fiddl.

we hav It

Then when Serene marries

another,

the hart throbs of Jacques told us

has become a part of himself and thru

see the inner

life

of Jacques.

its

by the music

THE FOCUS

322

Henry Van Dyke thinks clearly to the end before he touches his pen, and whatever he does he does with his whole nature. In each of the stories in "The Ruling Passion"

feel his

nature.

love

He too.

wonderful integrity of intellect and poise of loves

all life

and

strives to

make

his readers

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Ruth Hankins.

The Focus Vol.

Farmville,

Va.,

October, 1915

No. 6

Published monthly during the school year by the Students' AssociaFemale Normal School, Farmville, Virginia. Sub-

tion of the State

scription price, $1.00 per year.

The Focus

published nine times a year at Farmville, Va., by the

Normal School. There are no stockno bondholders, mortgagees, nor other security holders. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 2nd day of October, 1912. J. L. Bugg, Notary Public. Entered as second-class matter at the postofifice at Farmville, Virginia.

Students' Association of the State holders,

LOYALTY Do not we remember as children how we fought Tom or John because he said that our home or our father or mother wasn't very nice? We would stand up for them to the last notch, and we hav kept it up. As we hav grown up and gained new possessions, we hav protected and supported them. In the grammar scool, high scool, and in our social lives we hav put forward every effort with a desire to giv of ourselves to them we hav love in our harts a pride and joy in them ever there was loyalty. Now as we enter life in a higher scool, the Normal, and ar thinking seriusly of just what our life calling is and preparing to meet it wel equipt, we look about us, and find that more loyalty is needed now than ever before.

— —

—

Shakespeare says, "To thine own be true and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." But we may ask, "What does it mean to be loyal to self"? First it means to be what we really ar to be able to truthfully say, "By God's grace, I am what I am," in every activity of scool First there ar ourselves.

self

—

— THE FOCUS

324

Then

life.

us that what tions

means to act because our consciences tel we do is right to withstand those tempta-

—

which meet us every day

some

these ar

of the

ways

firmly, keeping in the right

which we

may be

loyal to

ourselves.

Then there is a need of being loyal to our scool. We should giv our best to the scool. Each of us has her peculiar caracteristics, and here we surely may find expression for

them.

should become scool spirited, become in-

terested in things regarding our scool.

that a scool

made by

the

attend largely determines

girls,

the

and the

should realize

clas of girls that

atmosfere of the

scool;

likewise the conduct of the girls attending givs to the on-

looker his opinion of

share of

The

scool is. Cannot we feel on us~and each one bear her

what the

that this responsibility

it?

ways of being loyal to the whole by standing by the Home Department and Student Government. They ar here for us to giv us advanscool

several definit

—

Should not we appreciate this enuf to giv them our support? And would not co-operation with them lift our scool to a higher level? W^e hav learnd that in every activity of life co-operation is needed that is, a working together of individuals, each sharing with the others the best that she has. Then, to our literary societies, clubs, and to the f rends in each of these let us look. How many peple can you retages

for our well-being.

member making "Oh!

the folloing remark about?

like her all right,

taste in dres."

Do we

but she certainly has queer we say it

stop to think before

that perhaps in that queer looking somebody there dwells one of God's purest souls? It would be lovely if we would train our eyes to overlook the thorns and see only the roses in the lives of others. This habit of criticizing unjustly is very easily made, and stays when once it is with us so let's fight it, and insted of saying something mean say something pleasant, something helpful. To be a tru frend, a loyal frend to another is something to liv for, 3ome one has said for us:

—

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; THE FOCUS

325

some soul a little light, some pathway dark and drear can render light, If I to one in gloom can show the sunny side, Though no reward I win, I shall be satisfied."

"If

can

let into

If I

Thru

and frendship we ar developing our

this loyalty

better selves, enlarging our caracters, and adjusting ourselves so that

we may be

big enuf to

fit

into a big situation.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; F. W. W. REGARDING OUR NEW STUDY HOUR REGULATIONS work in our scool this year it what you please. At any rate, the sccol is wide awake and student organizations seem really more activ than they hav been for a number of years. Everything Things is working and apparently in the right direction. There

truly a something at

call

ar being done.

"The

old order changeth,

Yielding place to new."

And

the most important, the most far-reaching change

that has been

made by any

organization

the Student Association, the student

that

body

made by

as a whole,

regarding study hour.

There has been a felt need for some time for a better study period at night. Girls realized that with the many interruptions that would occur during the two hours and fifteen minutes set aside for studying that they could not do their best work. They wisht conditions wer different but wishing was as far as they went. This fall the girls seemd to feel the defects in study hour more than ever In fact, the existing privileges of study hour wer before. apparently abused more than ever before. Those who had work to do, and who really wanted to do it, could not do it

to the best advantage.

They attributed mist lessons

girl's abuse of the privilege of visiting during study hour. They complaind to the Faculty, and to the Student Government Committee. The students discust

some other

among

themselves.

THE FOCUS

326

remedy conditions?" was the Home Department and the Public opinion demanded some re-

"What can be done

question before the Faculty, the

Student Association. form in the study hour regulations. What reform could or should be made? This question was put before each clas in meetings of their own, and each clas was urged to make suggestions and requests to the Student Committee for some definit means of improving study hour. The thoughful girls in and, as a result, most of the clases re-

the clases thought

quested, and some even urged, that

all visiting

during study

hour should be eliminated.

The adoption of such a measure would necessarily work hardships on some girls in fact, on a great many especially the old girls who had become so accustomd to running

—

to their neighbors during study hour

for help

this,

suggestion about that, or information regarding something

seemd impossible

to get along without

else,

that

this

neighborly assistance during study hour.

really

point was discust and argued on both sides,

this

the students

themselves, and finally put to the vote of the student body.

And we

ar glad

majority

—

yes,

proud

—that the majority—the big

of the girls in scool

wer willing to giv up these

personal conveniences, these seemingly indispensabl privileges, for the

sake of making study period a period for mas of girls who would be bene-

study indeed for the great fitd

it.

hav now had about three weeks' experience under these new regulations; and we dare say that not one girl in fifty would vote to go back to the old way. We hav found out that it is not so hard after all to get along two hours and fifteen minutes without our neighbors. And if we just hav to see them about a lesson or other affairs we manage to do so before study hour begins. It only requires a little thought and foresight. To some of us it may not hav seemd possible that we could do this; but we hav tried now and found that we can. And, because we can,

ar glad

tried

—glad

that

we were

willing to

make

just a little sacrifice, perhaps, for the sake of the welfare of the student

body, of the scool; glad that we gave up

THE FOCVS

32f

For it brings old seeming conveniences for new, real ones. that exceeding peace of mind to us individually to feel

we can study undisturbd; and when every girl in scool is the enabled to work to a better advantage the standard of scool has surely been raised.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;M.

M. W.

THE FOCUS

328

lExrljattgps

One

of the most interesting magazines we hav receivd year is the Emory and Henry Era. We note with interest that this magazine has become purely Hterary, and if the October issue is an index to those folloing we feel the policy wil prove thoroly successful. "The Special War this

Tax"

an interesting essay.

standing of the subject and

manner.

ar pleased to see that your choice of essay

subjects ar vital questions of

Lazaruses of antiquity. it

shows good under-

ritten in a clear-cut forceful

modern times rather than

liv in

the present, therefore

behooves us to study present day problems.

Your

stories, too, ar interesting.

variety and wel ritten.

They

ar of pleasing

should suggest, however, that

you "pull up a bit" on your poetry. and what you hav lacks thought.

Where T^eEra is improving

There

is little

of it

in fiction the Trinity Archive

having only two short ones in the October issue. "The Strange Kidnapper" is the best of these, giving a very accurate sketch of mountain life. "Miss Sherlock Holmes" starts out very wel, but

is falling

falls flat

back.

It lacks stories,

toward the end.

It lacks plot.

Poetry also

lacking.

The

is much better. Time spent Analysis" will not be wasted. There is also a book review of the Pentecost of Calamity an excellent review of an excellent book.

essay work, however,

in reading

"An

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

The

Southern Collegian

a wel-balancd and interesting Flight of Years" we get a picture of many a boy who has just been graduated. He has been to college just to be able to say he had been, without any aim or ambition in life. If every one could

college magazine.

"The

THE FOCUS

329

be made to realize that he must hold before him an ideal, and that he must strive toward attaining this ideal, how much better off would the world be! Such a person is certain to hav a reward after "The Flight of Years." It is interesting to read of our Southern riters. There ar some of whom the South should rightly be proud, altho there is a tendency among a great many people to overlook our own riters and spend their time reading the literature of other countries. Edgar Allan Poe is truly a prominent Southern riter. We recognize in all his works his wonderful originality, and in his short stories his skil in handling a plot. The poem entitled "The Tale of the Captain" ir very good. Your miscellaneus department is attractiv as wel as interesting.

The most interc^sting article in The Missile is "The Legend Blood-Red Rose." Myths appeal generally to all readers, and this one is very good indeed. The poem, "A Prayer," is wel exprest. You are rather weak in your of the

department, however.

would suggest that one essay, and that these should be longer than the ones you have this month. literary

you have more

stories

and at

least

The

quality of the contents of The Hollins Magazine very good and much enjoyd by our readers. Altho you havn't many poems, the ones you hav ar wel ritten and sho talent on the part of the authoress. The poem entitled "Gray Peace" would appeal to any lover of Nature. Words ar chosen that express exactly the thought suggested in the is

title.

It is interesting to see

you hav several essays in

your literary department. They ar a reflection of the excellent work done in the scool. And, too, we feel that we hav been benefitd when we hav red an article such as the one on Dugald Stewart Walker, the artist. "The House of Mystery" is also interesting and contains a good plot. The length of this story is certainly a caracteristic to be praisd.

THE FOCUS

330

ARGUS LITERARY SOCIETY Since Fannie president

and

Meade Brooke and Alma Craddock, our

critic elected for

to scool this year

we hav

the

fall

term, did not return

elected, in their places, Lucile

Shepherd and Lucile Woodson, respectivly. We feel certain that we shal enjoy as wel as derive great benefit from our course of study for this year, which wil be a study of folk-lore of the Chinese, Japanese, Persians, Celts, Irish, Scotch, Welsh, Anglo-Saxons, Normans, English, Indian and Negro.

The

foUoing

new members hav been taken

Jefferson Debating Society this

into

the

Catherine Armstrong, Ida Barnhart, Ethel Bland, Mattie Clark, Matilda Clarke, Eddie Copps, Catherine Cover, Gertrude Dolen, Gladys Duncan, Marie Edmunds, Sudie Greenwood, Hazel Heat-

Conway Howard,

wole,

Ava

Key, Elizabeth Malcolm,

Marshall, Verna Marshall, Elizabeth Morris, Louise

Murphy, Ruth Reynolds, Hattie Robinson,

Morris, Agnes

Mary Mary

Julia

fall:

Soyars,

Mary Thompson, Miss

Janie Slaughter, and

Tidwell.

business meeting of the Southwest Virginia Club was

held on the afternoon of September 27, for the purpose of

deciding on the club motto, flower, and electing officers for the year.

As we wer from the mountains we

selected

arbutus for our flower and "Climb, for we have Mountains to Climb" as our motto. The foUoing officers

trailing

wer elected: President Vice-President

Secretary

Tresurer

Reporter

Margaret Byrom Josephine Gleaves

Conway Howard Kate Woolridge Alice Rakes

THE FOCUS

331

PSYCHOLOGY thought when

I'd lernd

about percepts

That all of my troubles wer o'er, But now as the weeks ar progressing They ar numbering more and more. I'v

been taught

—tho

it's

hard to believ

That the mind has mental

And Is

it,

states,

to analyze their attributes worse than lerning dates.

livd in fair contentment,

'Til

herd that every thought complex, personal, all such tommy-rot.

Is focal,

And

And what's the fun of wishing things, When impulse, motives, choice, And half a dozen other things All

want

hav a voice?

—

Juliette

Mayo,

HOW TIMES DO CHANGE Not so many years ago, there livd a maiden wise; Golden was her curly hair, and violet wer her eyes. And yuths for miles around worshipt at her feet. They rote her rymes because she was so very, very sweet. Alas, 'twas very long ago

and times have changed since

then:

Now

it is

the maidens

who

rite verses to

the men.

—Cordon Seamon.

THE FOCUS

332

THE LAST STRAW Three-year-old David had been unusually unruly. He had reprimands, threats, and finally mild corporal

received

punishment from

mounted the

his father.

stairs to his

With wounded dignity David

mother's room.

"Mother," he

said in a voice of exasperation, "I can't stand that hus-

band

— Normal

yours any longer,"

Instructor.

LEFT OUT OF HIS ANATOMY Young Arthur had the study of anatomy at school, and had shown interest in the course. One morning at breakfast he asked his mother in grave perplexity, "Mother, I know where my liver is, but where is my bacon?" Normal Instructor.

—

chemistry clas) "That's why so many cuntry people get kild with gas. They go to a city hotel, and instead of turning the light out they hlo And the next morning they it out just as they do at home.

Miss Winston

(to

wake up ded."

(reading poetry)

Mag — Let's

see?

— What

De means

De-meter? from, and meter

means

to measure, doesn't it?

Teaching Senior (saying prayers after the worry of the day) "Grant us, O Lord, an evening blessing on our food."

—

WAITING FOR BETTER TIMES "How much

did you pay for thim

eggs,

Biddy?" in-

quired Pat. "Forty-foive cints a dozen, Pat," replied Biddy. "Oh, wirra!" exclaimed Pat. "We can't afford to ate eggs at thot price. Put thim in the cellar til they get chaper, an' thin we'll ate them."

—Ladies'

Home

Journal.

—" THE FOCUS

333

QUICK-WITTED Dr. S. P. Henson once delivered his lecture on "Fools" New York Chautauqua. Introducing him, Bishop Vincent said: "Ladies and gentlemen, we are now going at the

to listen to a lecture

'Fools'

by one

— " (and the audience

broke into a roar of laughter, and, after it had died away, Bishop Vincent added) "by the greatest man in America." Dr. Henson rose, and with a genial smile, said: "Ladies and gentlemen, I am not so great a fool as Bishop Vincent (another roar of laughter, after which the speaker added) "would have you believe." Normal Instructor.

—

PUTTING IT UP TO FATHER After several unsuccessful attempts to draw her hus-

band

into conversation at the restaurant, the wife discov-

ered the cause of his distraction to be a beautiful

girl-

dressed in black and seated at a nearby table.

"An

attractive

widow," observed the wife

coolly.

"Yes, indeed, a very attractive widow," agreed the hus-

band

enthusiastically.

"Yes," sighed the wife.

"I wish

were one."

—Ladies'

Home

Journal.

THE FOCUS

334

Strfrtnry of i'tub^nt Cf^rgamzatumB

STUDENT ASSOCIATION Marie Noel

President

Mary Macon

Senior Vice-President

Conway Howard and Esther Covington

Junior Vice-Presidents

Katie Giddens

Secretary

C. A.

Helene Nichols

President

Carrie

Vice-President

Wood

Eva Brooks

Secretary

Tresurer

Cornelia Seabury

•

SENIOR CLAS Louise Chiles

President

Julia Phillips

Vice-President

Secretary

Lula Jones

•

Watkins Margaret Byrom Virginia

Tresurer

Reporter

JUNIOR CLAS Noami Duncan

President

Lena Somers

Vice-President

Ethel Emswiler

Secretary

Tresurer

Marion Sinton

Reporter

Pauline Bloxton

FOURTH YEAR Josephine Gleaves

President

Douglas

Vice-President

Arthur

Pauline Bloxton

Secretary

Josephine Daniels Elizabeth Harris

Tresurer

Reporter

THIRD YEAR Agnes Miles

President

Mary

Vice-President

Tidwell

Tresurer

Hennie Harrison Vivian Boone

Reporter

Sally Wilkins

Secretary

ARGUS LITERARY SOCIETY President

Lucile Shepherd

Lena Cohen

First Vice-President

Second Vice-President Recording Secretary

Ruth

B, Robinson

Willie Harris

THE FOCUS

335 Louise Chiles

Corresponding Secretary

Nan

Tresurer

Lucile

Critic

Stuart

Woodson

Josephine Gleaves

Censor Reporter

Rille Harris

ATHENIAN LITERARY SOCIETY Margaret Byrom Evelyn Brooks Amelia Baine Marie Noel

President Vice-President

Recording Secretary Corresponding Secretary Tresurer

Julia Phillips

Critic

Censor Reporter

Charlotte

Mae Cox Dadmun

Rille Burgher

CUNNINGHAM LITERARY SOCIETY Lula Jones

President

Mary Darby

Vice-President

Recording Secretary Corresponding Secretary Tresurer

Lois

Smoot

Esther Kline

Gypsle Johnson Ellen Goodwin Nora Strochiker

Critic

Censor Reporter

PIERIAN LITERARY SOCIETY Lucy Powell

President First Vice-President

Second Vice-President Recording Secretary Corresponding Secretary

Julia Brittingham

Elizabeth White

Tresurer

Marjorie Matthews

Critic

Pauline Bloxton

Censor Reporter

Mattie Sinclair

DRAMATIC CLUB Willie Harris

President

Secretary

Mary

;

Ellen White

Pauline Bloxton

Tresurer

GLEE CLUB President

Vice-President

Marcella Barnes Nancy Lewis

Secretary

Naomi Duncan

Tresurer

Beulah Sedgwick Edith Miles Annie Loving Agnes Miles

Librarian Assistant Librarian

Reporter

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